PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Petr Petrovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Morko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Petrovich comes to the cage accompanied by Soviet Anthem. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Petrovich
vs
Morko

180 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Petr Petrovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esko Morko!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrovich shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Petrovich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morko fails with the takedown
and Morko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Morko is rocked!

Petrovich moves into range and clinches up with Morko.
Morko is still on wobbly legs! Can Petrovich finish him?

Morko manages to break the clinch.
Morko seems to have recovered his senses.

Morko drives through and clinches with Petrovich against the cage.
Morko tries to break the clinch but Petrovich is controlling the position.
Petrovich tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Morko has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Petrovich is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Morko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Petr Petrovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Esko Morko.

Morko breaks from the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Petrovich.
Morko should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Petrovich fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Morko on the side of the head.
A lazy left from Morko finds it's target.
Morko clinches but Petrovich breaks the clinch

and Petrovich counters with a beautiful punch that sends Morko to the canvas!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Petrovich passes Morko's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Petrovich looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Petrovich seems to be working for a kimura but Morko defends the submission attempt.
Petrovich with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovich not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Petrovich has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Petrovich content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Morko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Morko looks gassed!
Morko is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Petrovich wants to pass to mount but Morko is defending the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Petrovich misses with a right hand
and Morko counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Petrovich tries for a takedown but Morko circles away easily

and Morko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Petrovich keeps control of Morko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Morko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Petrovich thows a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Petrovich tries to bum rush Morko with a series of wild strikes but Morko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Morko moves into the clinch successfully.

Petrovich pulls guard.
Petrovich controls Morko momentarily but Morko frees himself.
Petrovich preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morko is in close to Petrovich's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Morko avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Morko passes Petrovich's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Morko slips a nice elbow through Petrovich's hands, connecting with Petrovich's forehead.
Petrovich trying to control from the bottom.
Morko trying to pass the guard but Petrovich defending well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Morko lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Morko drops an elbow to the side of Petrovich's head.

It looks like Petr Petrovich has been cut.

Petrovich is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Morko pulls his head out easily.
Petrovich slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich keeping full guard, as Morko tries to pass.
Petrovich looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Morko wants to pass the guard but Petrovich is keeping the position.
Morko advances to half guard.

Petrovich has one foot on Morko's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Petrovich throws a series of punches but Morko moves out of range.
Petrovich shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Morko as he avoids it easily.
Petrovich stalks Morko and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Morko's face. Morko staggers backwards, shaken.
Petrovich fails with the takedown

and Morko counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Petrovich escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Petrovich tries to clinch but Morko is having none of it.

Petrovich shoots in and bounces Morko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Morko tries to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morko has an active guard here but Petrovich has managed to pass into half guard.
Petrovich is taking a breather. Morko says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Morko is trying to get back to full guard.
Petrovich is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Morko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Petrovich's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Petrovich's back!
Petrovich trying to control the position but Morko manages to sink in the hooks.
Petrovich breaks Morko's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Morko striking off his back but it's not causing Petrovich any problems.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Petrovich gets to his feet - Morko follows without any prompting.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morko tries to clinch there but Petrovich circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Petrovich looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Morko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Petrovich is fending him off so far but Morko persists. Nope, Petrovich circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petr Petrovich dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Petr Petrovich's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Petrovich fails with the takedown.

Morko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Petrovich tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morko has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Petrovich's face.
Petrovich wants to control but Morko is having none of it.
Morko lands a nice shot to the head.
Petrovich wants to hold on but Morko pushes him away.
Petrovich keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Petrovich in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Petrovich is in all sorts of trouble here.
Petrovich sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Petrovich missing with punches from the bottom.
Petrovich is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovich has hold of Morko's hands but Morko slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Morko working Petrovich over with strikes.
Petrovich tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Petrovich flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Petrovich lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Petrovich gets full guard.
Morko keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Petrovich's head.
Petrovich working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Morko.
Morko throwing strikes from guard but Petrovich blocks nicely.
Morko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Petrovich works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morko throwing strikes but missing.
Petr Petrovich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Morko throws a big right hand that misses.
Morko is looking to work some ground and pound but Petrovich has wrist control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Petrovich swats away the attempt to clinch by Morko.
Petrovich throws a head kick that half lands.
Good standup being displayed there by Morko as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morko is looking to clinch but Petrovich is avoiding it.
Morko misses with a two punch combination.

Morko moves into range and clinches up with Petrovich.
Morko leaning his opponent against the cage.
Morko wants to stall.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Morko.
Morko lands a shot to the body.
Petrovich has had enough of the clinch but Morko keeps him there for the moment.

Morko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Morko instigates a clinch.

Morko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morko has a takedown stuffed.
Morko avoids the head kick by Petrovich.
Morko wants to clinch but Petrovich slips to the side
and Petrovich counters with a nice uppercut.
Morko wants to clinch.
Petrovich misses with a takedown attempt - Morko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Morko swinging wilding here.
Petrovich with a poor takedown

and Morko counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Petr Petrovich. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Petrovich successfully pulls guard.

Petrovich working for a triangle but Morko defends it easily.

Petrovich working for submissions but it's allowed Morko to get to half guard.
Morko is nestled in close to Petrovich, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Morko lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Petrovich tries to get to full guard but Morko has control of the leg.
Morko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Petrovich is trying to control but can't.
Petrovich is trying to control but Morko manages to pass to mount!
Petrovich tries to hold on but Morko postures up.
Morko lands a big shot there that rocks Petrovich but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morko landing strikes, looking to finish!
Morko landing strikes from the mount.

Petr Petrovich's cut is getting worse.
Morko working the ground and pound effectively.

Petrovich is rocked!
Morko postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Petrovich looks a forlorn figure.
Oh Petrovich is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Morko landing strikes from the mount.
Petrovich is looking to improve his position but Morko isn't that keen on the idea.
Petrovich seems to have got his legs back now.
Petrovich is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Petrovich is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Petrovich is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Petrovich is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Morko cracks Petrovich with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Petr Petrovich's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Petrovich sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Petrovich won't allow Morko to pass to mount.
Morko lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Morko looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Morko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Petr Petrovich's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Petrovich doesn't manage to clinch there - Morko circles away.
Morko throws a low kick but it's checked well by Petrovich.
Morko misses with the combination.

Petrovich shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Petrovich was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
A nice elbow there by Petrovich.
Morko is looking to improve his position but Petrovich isn't that keen on the idea.

Petrovich moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Morko has worked his arm free - good work by Morko!
Morko manages to work his way to half guard, despite Petrovich's best efforts.
Petrovich is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Morko is staying active underneath Petrovich, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Morko tries to roll over but Petrovich keeps him under control.

Petrovich decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morko wants to clinch but Petrovich slips to the side

and Petrovich counters with a shoot takedown. Morko fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morko with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Petrovich can't handle though.
Petrovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Morko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Petrovich passes Morko's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Morko manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petrovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Morko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Petrovich stays in close to Morko's body and controls the position.
Morko trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Petrovich content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Petrovich won't allow Morko to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich advances to half guard.

Petrovich wants to work for an arm triangle but Morko is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Morko is pressing down on Petrovich's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Morko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Petrovich wants to control from the top but Morko keeps moving.
Morko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Morko working the head and body with strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Morko is thwarting Petrovich's attempts to control the position.
Petrovich wants to get back to full guard but Morko has passed into side control.
Morko with the ground and pound from mount.

Jeez, Petr Petrovich's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Petr Petrovich's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Esko Morko!